I would point to how Jesus dealt with people who were moral failures Jesus chose one such woman, a woman who had five failed marriages in her resume, as his first missionary. If the conclusion of commandments is love, then is forgiveness the conclusion of salvaton? Today is the day. This is the second time I have commented here. Jesus can deal with the details in his life, just as he deals with the details in all of our lives. While reading Whats So Amazing About Grace? God impressed on me to teach and write about forgiveness. Thank you for your book. I asked Paul about the Christmas feasts/parties for each range, and as expected it was his way or no way. (which has helped us both tremendously). I was raised much the way you were and heard constantly that a Chrisitans hope was to saved and go to heaven. He reminded me that Paul was not my boss, that we were equals. I wanted to share a few of those excerpts. When some staff had asked me to bless their homes, to pray with them and to help them spiritually, Paul told them that I was not a real priest because I was not RC. There you agree, that Christians have been killing a lot of other humans. I also enjoy reading your books. I am currently reading What is So Amazing About Grace and often find myself going back to Scripture as I read, knowing that is where the truth is! But my son is a delight and has grown into a fine man with a child of his own. I want to share with you about my discouraged experience. Satan doesnt have unlimited knowledgethe close calls in an attempt to kill Jesus in his infancy prove that. Rather than standing up for me and defending my right to go into the visiting area, Warden Clovis cowered at French, a verbally and physically very powerful man. Ive recently been contacted by a publisher and asked to write a book, and part of that has involved setting up a website/blog so that people on the internet connect with me as a person. My wife and I had the same feeling on this situation: On the one hand, we wanted to trust God and know that He has beautiful plan for us; on the other hand, it seemed too difficult to understand why all of these happened at the same time. So far, I have not had luck with that pursuit. I have heard of you, as both of my parents view you as one of their favorite authors. all of your books-multiple times! T roublesome issues like divorce and homosexuality take on a different cast when you confront them not in a state legislature but in a family reunion. And I have the strong sense that there are more chapters to come! Philip, we started Vanishing Grace as an adult bible study Surely thats the only time Ive been linked with David Robinson. This is one of the most moving accounts of redeemed pain that I have ever heard. We could not dance or go to movies or date girls who did. If we do not ask, we do not receive forgiveness we receive hell I cannot be more holy and righteous than God Im his creation saved by grace. Over the years Ive been helped by writers such as Scott Peck (especially his People of the Lie), Gerald May, James Fowler, and James Hillman to understand the stages of faith we go through. This is probably not the book to take along to a spiritual retreat for discussion, mainly because it is far too raw and honest. This seems to be a very common, often ignored, question among Christians. (https://www.netgrace.org/) who have convinced me that many of the accusations are 100% right. To this date I have still not received the results of this investigation. Why? is indeed the question that never goes away, and I ask it myself all the time. I am currently writing two novels simultaneously, one of which is a dark fantasy set in the medieval era. She did something that probably none of us could imagine ever doing. My doctor told me to find a good GP and to take a year off work to recover. But to compare your comments about those who you feel lack truth with Jesus interactions with sinners, I know without any doubt who I would rather have feedback on my life from. It helped me in difficult periods of my life. During his years in prison, many church members, pastors and prominent law expert in the country paid a visit. Thank-you very much. My only problem is taking more than 5 years to finish because when I open it to move forward, ready for some new insight, I go backwards to reflect. I read your book where is God when it hurts, that was not too long after I lost my mother and faced severe persecution from my father. This film begins with the quote No one ever converted to Christianity because they lost the argument. Following the quote in the film, it says Phillip (sic) Yancey, author, Rumors of Another World. They Speak With Other Tongues ~ John Sherrill Phil tries to reassure me over and over that just faith that God is in control offers great comfort and peace. I loved reading your book The Gift of Pain. so they are not carrying bitterness or resentment. Really amazing! The traditional age for creation is 6000 years ago. Hi, Im Ana Paula, Im 32 years old, Im from the Methodist Church, Im a journalist and Im currently studying Letras (Portuguese) (I do not know how to say). Im sorry for what youre going through. Here I was, trying to listen to the V and C guard in charge, and she was shouting. A few minutes later, tears were streaming down my face and I was trying to hold back the sobs as I finished your description of Babettes Feast and said to myself, Can this really be true? [7] He went on to earn graduate degrees in communications and English from Wheaton College Graduate School and the University of Chicago. A great experience! Thank-you very much. The Bible says marriage should be between a man and a woman., and as an evangelical, I believe in the bible. Couldnt all of that money have been better spent? Standing My Ground and Attempts at Reconciliation Also, are there any black authors you have read who have helped shape your faith in some way? Medearis is too busy now in Jordan (told him I understandtotally). Maybe your book will help guide me to the answers I am looking for. Brian wanted to know what I had done wrong to make Mr. Rasmus want to talk to me in private. Philip. You should have my e-mail, and I would love to meet you. or The good of God by Yancey?? Once again Paul was running the show against my wishes. I asked Debbie if there were any concerns with CSC chaplaincy, and she told me no. Philip Yancey, author of books like Disappointment with God, The Jesus I Never Knew, and What's So Amazing About Grace, is one of the best selling Christian authors alive today.His interactions with Christians from around the world and his early church experiences inform his writing on faith, the problem of pain, and unexpected grace. Ive just revised and updated two of those books with Dr. We forgive others because He forgave us. Im reading Disappointment with God again and just wrote a devotional to In the Upper Room speaking from my experience. You know, dont break the connection just hang up and try again. This quote kept returning to me, and I began to ponder waiting on the Lord and in Gods time. My pain, as I type is palpable. That made me refer back to the year 2016. Im just reading your book Whats So Amazing About Grace? I did a word search on a man in a hut and turned up nothing. One woman started talking with me, telling me of her abusive husband. I am constantly baffled by opinions I hear Christians say and by the state of the church vis--vis a suffering world. With so many frustrations, family pressures and finding no meaning in life, I began to flood in a sea of sadness, self-pity, guilt, negative thoughts, excessive complaints and envy. I wrote about it in my blog, the website below. Should I just believe? This haunts me from time to time, especially the second paragraph of the following quotation. In fact, back in 2001, we came to a conference you spoke at in Nashville, TN, and my wife, Karen, and I volunteered to take you to the airport. You bring joy to my soul. Ive always loved your books, and lens. My goodness, you certainly have no need to apologize. BARTH, KARL On page 121, Phil says, as I pondered the question [Where is God when it hurts?] And yet he was willing to undergo suffering in service of a higher goal. Being a gay man is to want something that only women are supposed to want, thus robbing women of their proper use as Paul puts it, whereas being a lesbian was virtually incomprehensible to the ancient Roman world in which the Church fathers wrote what became the New Testament canon. Thank you Canada . Those who gleefully told me what was happening had not missed the irony of my message being followed by the deans actions. Whereas I had worked in the correctional institutions for nearly 20 years and was the Senior Chaplain for Alberta Corrections, Paul had worked in Corrections for only four years. The Training Session Thanks for asking, though. And I know Christians dont do a lot of thinking, but they do have the Holy Spirit. It has been long enough that I am not sure what it is going to take to get me to go back. I first read it about 8 years ago when something in me began to search for grace after years and years of growing up in a fundamentalist church and attending a very legalistic christian college. what truth is? This is illogical. Upon my arrival I was told that there was no position for me. He went on to tell me that he had an affair with one of the female dog handlers, and that wanted to leave it behind him and make things right in his marriage. Along with ten Anglican prayer books marked Property of the Chapel, the box contained the 30 Torah study books, Jewish DVDs and Hanukkah candles that Rabbi Ari had donated to the Edmonton Institution [46] [47] [48]. I see no need to comment on the many points you made. I have been a fan of your writing for almost 20 years and appreciate your voice being in modern-day discussions about grace, love, etc. As you know, conversions at the age you mention are rather rare, so Im sure you have your own story! No doubt you know of Mother Teresas long drought of the presence of God. Odin, by the way, took a spear and drove it into his side. I picked up your book, Reaching for the Invisible God, and am three-quarters through it, and love it. They buy their own books. I have just read your article about the death of reading on the Washington Post. Please dont feel that you must do anything special or just right to capture Gods attention. . I found affinity regarding your assessment of the fundamental beliefs and churches. Ive purchased several of your book Prayer and given them away to people that I think would find it helpful. I am Jess, and you have always been my favourite writer. My stand for the vulnerable cost me my career, my home and my health. Im still working on it (being more graceful). Since I am only a couple of years older than you (I think your brother was probably in my class at Wheaton, but in a clean-out phase, I no longer have my yearbooks to check! Ive stood on the Killing Fields in Cambodia. Upon my arrival at the CSC head office, Monty pulled me aside and said, Richard, we have to compromise our religious beliefs here to get in the door. It was shocking for me to hear this from a Pentecostal pastor. The Message by Eugene Peterson is a paraphrase in modern, sometimes casual English which is more subjective, though Peterson is quite trustworthy. Even the great saints complain about Gods non-response, the dark night of the soul. And, of course, the Bible echoes your response in many places: Psalms, Lamentations, Job, Habakkuk Youre an honest seeker, and I applaud that. An evaluation team from Ottawa, made up of federal regional chaplains and a member of the interfaith committee from CSC, came to visit the Edmonton Institution from November 23 25th, 2016. Wrights books? I put it next to Mere Christianity as a must read for old believers. Thanks. This act of forgiveness is backed up by the command that Christians must forgive (70 times 7, etc.) But as I was adding a list of favorite places to that site today I ended up here and remembered that you had gone before me. Read Romans 15: 4-13 I hope to come to meet you in November while you are on your book tour in Ohio. You ask very good questions, and some experts in both science and the Bible may be able to help. I was well aware of my sins from a very young age. He understood my struggle with Paul, as he had witnessed Rev. I have read Prayer and it fundamentally changed my prayer life. How boring it must be to have the same kind of relationship with billions of people. The stories are vivid and highly personal, revealing the good, bad and ugly of each life, often with emotional descriptions that will make you cry. In November 1994, the Head of Chaplaincy for Correctional Service Canada (CSC) invited all Provincial Head Chaplains to Ottawa for meetings. The Director of the Church Army did nothing to stand up for me with the loss of my prison job. The next time I saw him he cried. For no reason. I called out to Jesus to help me, to forgive all the sins in my long life. Both were shocked and told me to hang in there, they found out that Debbie Lindsey a YWAM staff member in Saint John had (later a VineYard pastor with her husband) called Capt. The Bible Jesus Read, Zondervan (Grand Rapids, MI), 1999. Yet when his 27-year marriage ended in divorce and depression set in, he realized he needed to climb another mountain, one that offered community and meaning. And a person is currently working on a study guide for this new book. I could not keep thinking about yesterday shooting at Texas Church, a family of 8 killed, a pregnant Woman with 3 children killed. Paul used the tensions between Brian and me to demoralize me. Philip. They say, We loan because: We care about human beings and understand that it takes people to help people. The Christians say, We loan because: Pure and undefiled religion before God the Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their misfortune and to keep oneself unstained by the world. Can you tell me where you found this? The things that we share in our world are far more valuable than those which divide us. Donald Williams, pilot for Spaceshuttle Discovery and commander for Spaceshuttle Atlantis, This planet is not terra firma. At last I said, No, Im sorry, I cant promise that. None of us is exempt. The boys would be able to read your books in their quiet times and in their class times. a cell phone in the gutter. Ps. Yancey expressed his doubts about the Republican presidential candidate and his Christian supporters during an interview with website Evangelical Focus. Ive so appreciated your writing over the years and finally decided to say so. A subsequent letter of dismissal from the Bridges of Canada head office in Fredericton praised me for my dedication but also failed to include a reason for my dismissal [37]. Hello Mr.Yancey! His books have sold more than fifteen million copies in English and have been translated into forty languages, making him one of the best-selling contemporary Christian authors. In fact, some estimate that the problem is as widespread in Protestant denominations as in the Catholic church, which has attracted far more scrutiny. Dear Philip, thank you for your insight and inspiration in articulating truth that is palatable to us who have be conditioned by our traditional way of thinking! Normally I would happily agree to your request. Things all came to a head a few weeks ago. When I questioned Paul about writing to the Commissioner about this, he told me that this was perfectly okay. I think the reason why is that you both are unafraid to ask questions you dont have answers to.